AUGUST RINGS
Is it ‘Aaj baap buddha ho gaya,
or, is it ‘Aaj beta bada ho gaya’?
I keep saying, that, to me, the need to
write something every day is like the need to breathe every moment! So,
whenever some of my friends do not see my Blogs, for a week or so, they get
worried: “Is everything alright?” they check.
I
had posted my last Blog on 5th August… Today is 15th. Was
everything alright at my end? How could I survive without writing – without breathing?
Our
only son, Kenrick, got engaged to his long-time love Nishta (we call her
fondly, Nina) on 12th of August. There was a small engagement ceremony
with a few family members and friends. These are still Covid times… Hence, it had
to be short and simple… Very intimate. During the days of preparation for this special
day, one night, I got up and penned something very intimate and profound for
the young couple… I poured my heart and within half a night, I came out with a
small book… I named it - ‘August Rings’!
What
was this book all about?
Well, what would a father tell his only son and his would-be bride on a day like this? It took some 63 years to say it all in a few hours of one night!
We
shared the hard copy of ‘August Rings’ with all our guests that day, and, post
that, we started sharing the soft copy with many of our family members and
friends, who could not be present on the special day…
So, I did write something intimate and
profound during these ten days of absence from Blogging… But, I let myself stay
in that special zone undisturbed!
This morning, after I shared the soft copy of the book and a few pictures of the couple with my dear friend, Anupam (who lives in Bangaluru), I received a call from him. What transpired during this conversation forms the heart of today’s Blog. I let Anupam do the rest of the storytelling…
AAJ BETA
BADA HO GAYA
By Anupam Acharya
Today, I got a message from Gerry Sir
informing me about his son Kenrick’s engagement with his (Kenrick’s!!!)
childhood sweetheart, Nina!
“Congratulations, dear Kenrick and Nina. Congratulations
to your families, which, now, journey as one family! May your tribe grow, and may your love for each other
grow with every passing day.”
While
we spoke, Gerry Sir had an epiphany and said, “Aaj baap buddha ho gaya!”
Instantly, I thought out loud, “Aaj beta bada ho gaya!” We had a thought-provoking
conversation on: how age is only a number… how wine gets more precious as it
ages… how the value of ‘antiques’ keeps increasing over the years and how some
of the wealthiest people around are scrap-dealers etc.! We both knew, that it
was all about justifying the worth of the product or individual that mattered
the most.
I
remembered this article, which I had come across, some years ago. It was posted
by the ‘Your Daily Success Tip’ team. It was an interesting read
and had a lot to tell.
Here’s
the posted story:
KNOW YOUR WORTH
A father said to his son: “You graduated
with honours; here is a car that I acquired many years ago … It is several
years old. But, before I give it to you, take it to the used-car lot
downtown and tell them that you want to sell it and see how much they would offer
you.”
The son went to the used-car lot,
returned to his father, and said, “They offered me $ 1,000, because it looks
very worn-out.”
The father said, “Take it to the
pawnshop.”
The son went to the pawnshop, returned
to his father, and said, “The pawnshop offered $ 100 because it was a very old
car.”
The father asked his son to go to a car
club and show them the car.
The son took the car to the club,
returned, and told his father: “Some people in the club offered $ 100,000 for
it, since it is a Nissan Skyline R34, iconic car and sought after by many.”
The father said to his son, “Do not be
angry: If you are not valued, it means that you are in the wrong place. Those
who know your value are those who appreciate you. Never stay in a place where
no one sees your worth.”
As individuals,
all of us go through this feeling at some point, or multiple times, in our
lives. We wonder why we aren’t appreciated, acknowledged or feel validated. The
reason being, we’re looking for apples in an orange orchard!
We need to start
looking in the right place to find the right value. We try and force-fit ourselves
into the mould, which society casts for the population: ‘You should retire at 60’…
‘You need to top your class to be successful in life’… ‘You need to rush
against time and be an achiever when you’re 25 or 30… etc., etc.! Every path is
unique, every journey is different. One needs to understand his/her path and
walk with courage.
Pearls of wisdom,
which I took away from today’s call with Gerry Sir:
· Learning to look
within, to grow beyond, is of utmost importance when it comes to knowing our
value. Know where you are today - to plan where you want to go.
· Embrace and take
pride in the values and traits that make you different, that make you stand out
in a crowd, that shape your personality and most of all give you a sense of
purpose.
· Interact with
people who help you identify opportunities best suited for you at that point in
your life. You will find a mentor or teacher in your neighbour, long lost
friend or even a distant relative. Seek and you shall find.
· Spend more time
with people who remind you of your potential and treasure you for who you are.
· Be open to
learning from anyone. Literally any one! One could take away words of wisdom
from a child or a stalwart. Listen before you speak!
· Finally, only
action gives results. Go out there and see what you’re worth, don’t rest until
you find what gives you a sense of contentment. You may fail once, try again.
You may fail yet another time, try again!
Today, I pray for
Kenrick and Nina as they add value in each other’s lives. May Gerry Sir and
Anima Ma’am, and Nina's parents, with the added vintage to their experience, guide and bless many
more bright minds in the years to come!
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic’s: 1. pixaby 2. Ken & Nina
Videos: DisneyMusicVEVO
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